Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism of Broad-Spectrum Antivirals Remdesivir and Obeldesivir with a Consideration to Metabolite GS-441524: Same, Similar, or Different?

RNA viruses with pandemic potential pose a significant global health risk. The adenosine nucleoside analog GS-441524 is metabolized to its active GS-443902 triphosphate metabolite to inhibit a broad spectrum of RNA viruses. Intravenous (IV) remdesivir (RDV) and oral obeldesivir (ODV) are phosphorami...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Darius Babusis, Cynthia Kim, Jesse Yang, Xiaofeng Zhao, Guoju Geng, Carmen Ip, Nathan Kozon, Hoa Le, Jennifer Leung, Jared Pitts, Dustin S. Siegel, Rao Kalla, Bernard Murray, John P. Bilello, Roy Bannister, Richard L. Mackman, Raju Subramanian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-06-01
Series:Viruses
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/836
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1849425125079777280
author Darius Babusis
Cynthia Kim
Jesse Yang
Xiaofeng Zhao
Guoju Geng
Carmen Ip
Nathan Kozon
Hoa Le
Jennifer Leung
Jared Pitts
Dustin S. Siegel
Rao Kalla
Bernard Murray
John P. Bilello
Roy Bannister
Richard L. Mackman
Raju Subramanian
author_facet Darius Babusis
Cynthia Kim
Jesse Yang
Xiaofeng Zhao
Guoju Geng
Carmen Ip
Nathan Kozon
Hoa Le
Jennifer Leung
Jared Pitts
Dustin S. Siegel
Rao Kalla
Bernard Murray
John P. Bilello
Roy Bannister
Richard L. Mackman
Raju Subramanian
author_sort Darius Babusis
collection DOAJ
description RNA viruses with pandemic potential pose a significant global health risk. The adenosine nucleoside analog GS-441524 is metabolized to its active GS-443902 triphosphate metabolite to inhibit a broad spectrum of RNA viruses. Intravenous (IV) remdesivir (RDV) and oral obeldesivir (ODV) are phosphoramidate and isobutyryl-ester prodrugs of GS-441524, respectively. Following administration, both RDV and ODV show rapid and broad tissue distribution, form the same GS-443902 metabolite in target tissues, and demonstrate promising in vivo efficacy across several RNA virus infection models. In an African green monkey SARS-CoV-2 infection model, respective RDV and ODV treatments yielded similar antiviral efficacy. Here, we compare the in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetics (PK) and metabolism of RDV and ODV to highlight both similarities and differences in their absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion profiles. The distinct route of administration and metabolic fate of each prodrug produced in vivo PK and metabolism profiles with differential GS-441524 to tissue GS-443902 relationships, thereby supporting alternate methods for predicting human efficacious doses. Overall, a metabolism-directed prodrug design enabled optimized delivery of the identical active GS-443902 metabolite through different routes of administration, supporting broader applications of the same nucleoside analog across an expanded spectrum of potential antiviral indications.
format Article
id doaj-art-d00c9813455e410caad52ea2545fcb31
institution Kabale University
issn 1999-4915
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Viruses
spelling doaj-art-d00c9813455e410caad52ea2545fcb312025-08-20T03:29:52ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152025-06-0117683610.3390/v17060836Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism of Broad-Spectrum Antivirals Remdesivir and Obeldesivir with a Consideration to Metabolite GS-441524: Same, Similar, or Different?Darius Babusis0Cynthia Kim1Jesse Yang2Xiaofeng Zhao3Guoju Geng4Carmen Ip5Nathan Kozon6Hoa Le7Jennifer Leung8Jared Pitts9Dustin S. Siegel10Rao Kalla11Bernard Murray12John P. Bilello13Roy Bannister14Richard L. Mackman15Raju Subramanian16Gilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USAGilead Sciences, Inc., Foster City, CA 94404, USARNA viruses with pandemic potential pose a significant global health risk. The adenosine nucleoside analog GS-441524 is metabolized to its active GS-443902 triphosphate metabolite to inhibit a broad spectrum of RNA viruses. Intravenous (IV) remdesivir (RDV) and oral obeldesivir (ODV) are phosphoramidate and isobutyryl-ester prodrugs of GS-441524, respectively. Following administration, both RDV and ODV show rapid and broad tissue distribution, form the same GS-443902 metabolite in target tissues, and demonstrate promising in vivo efficacy across several RNA virus infection models. In an African green monkey SARS-CoV-2 infection model, respective RDV and ODV treatments yielded similar antiviral efficacy. Here, we compare the in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetics (PK) and metabolism of RDV and ODV to highlight both similarities and differences in their absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion profiles. The distinct route of administration and metabolic fate of each prodrug produced in vivo PK and metabolism profiles with differential GS-441524 to tissue GS-443902 relationships, thereby supporting alternate methods for predicting human efficacious doses. Overall, a metabolism-directed prodrug design enabled optimized delivery of the identical active GS-443902 metabolite through different routes of administration, supporting broader applications of the same nucleoside analog across an expanded spectrum of potential antiviral indications.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/836pharmacokineticsremdesivirobeldesivirantiviralsGS-441524GS-443902
spellingShingle Darius Babusis
Cynthia Kim
Jesse Yang
Xiaofeng Zhao
Guoju Geng
Carmen Ip
Nathan Kozon
Hoa Le
Jennifer Leung
Jared Pitts
Dustin S. Siegel
Rao Kalla
Bernard Murray
John P. Bilello
Roy Bannister
Richard L. Mackman
Raju Subramanian
Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism of Broad-Spectrum Antivirals Remdesivir and Obeldesivir with a Consideration to Metabolite GS-441524: Same, Similar, or Different?
Viruses
pharmacokinetics
remdesivir
obeldesivir
antivirals
GS-441524
GS-443902
title Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism of Broad-Spectrum Antivirals Remdesivir and Obeldesivir with a Consideration to Metabolite GS-441524: Same, Similar, or Different?
title_full Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism of Broad-Spectrum Antivirals Remdesivir and Obeldesivir with a Consideration to Metabolite GS-441524: Same, Similar, or Different?
title_fullStr Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism of Broad-Spectrum Antivirals Remdesivir and Obeldesivir with a Consideration to Metabolite GS-441524: Same, Similar, or Different?
title_full_unstemmed Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism of Broad-Spectrum Antivirals Remdesivir and Obeldesivir with a Consideration to Metabolite GS-441524: Same, Similar, or Different?
title_short Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism of Broad-Spectrum Antivirals Remdesivir and Obeldesivir with a Consideration to Metabolite GS-441524: Same, Similar, or Different?
title_sort pharmacokinetics and metabolism of broad spectrum antivirals remdesivir and obeldesivir with a consideration to metabolite gs 441524 same similar or different
topic pharmacokinetics
remdesivir
obeldesivir
antivirals
GS-441524
GS-443902
url https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/17/6/836
work_keys_str_mv AT dariusbabusis pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT cynthiakim pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT jesseyang pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT xiaofengzhao pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT guojugeng pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT carmenip pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT nathankozon pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT hoale pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT jenniferleung pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT jaredpitts pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT dustinssiegel pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT raokalla pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT bernardmurray pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT johnpbilello pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT roybannister pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT richardlmackman pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent
AT rajusubramanian pharmacokineticsandmetabolismofbroadspectrumantiviralsremdesivirandobeldesivirwithaconsiderationtometabolitegs441524samesimilarordifferent